Before the new year rang, Kiana Phelps had big plans for 2020.
“I was one foot away from the school record in discus, and the olympic trials were this year. And I was just really excited to score points for my team at the NCAA championships. I felt like I could get lot of points. I felt like I was ready.”
But then, like everything else, her career came to a screeching halt, with the NCAA cancelling all spring sports.
“We all just put in a year’s worth of work for nothing. It was taken away from us so quickly without really any notice.”
Kiana isn’t alone in feeling this way, which is why the NCAA announced it would allow seniors in 2020 to return in 2021 if they wanted. And Kiana couldn’t pass that up.
“We were all super relieved that we got a year back so we could do what we set out to do in the first place.”
Now, she’s back home in Kingsley, where she’s finding ways to stay in shape during the COVID-enforced offseason.
“One day I went upstairs to get a light lift in or get whatever I could get done. But it was such a nice day outside I was thinking ‘oh man I wish I could go outside and do this’ And so I came up with the idea of the outdoor gym. We set up a whole gym in our backyard.”
Kiana’s mental strength has been tested throughout 2020, but now she’s making sure that when she returns to Eugene, she’ll be ready to compete at her best.
“We’re a ways away from next season and I can fine tune the technical stuff once I get back to Oregon but right now I need to focus on getting as strong as I can.”
But the strength isn’t just about her senior season. Kiana has bigger plans in mind, competing in the Olympic trials..
“Every year’s worth of building up strength is so important, but I’m only 22 so I’ve only had so many years to build up that strength. And I get goosebumps thinking about it because this could be my shot .This extra year of training that I get could be huge. “
With another opportunity to compete, Kiana isn’t going to let it go to waste.
